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The recent unfortunate events in Moore County have me rethinking my stance on generators in general.
My home is not serviced by a natural gas provider and Dominion quoted me $10k+ to run lines to the house if I am not able to find at least 2 other neighbors wanting natural gas AND to convert their HVAC or other major appliances to natural gas. Because of this, I previously determined that I would be better off (financially) letting food in the fridge and freezer go bad in the event of a winter weather extended outage rather than pay nearly $20k for natural gas lines, 14kw Generac standby generator, installation costs, etc.
It looks like I have the following options, I'd like to know your thoughts and/or experiences on them:
1. Cheapest -- 12,500 watt peak power generator for $1250, either run extension cords indoors or backfeed into 50A 240V outlet in garage (dangerous, trying to avoid this at all costs)
2. 12,500 watt peak power generator, have electrician install transfer switch and interlock etc (maybe $4000 total, not sure on exact costs)
3. Tesla powerwall or LG whole house battery backup for around $10-12k installed
I'm leaning towards option #2 but I'm not sure if this will be worth the costs and hassles involved. At the same time, my area frequently experiences short power outages during thunderstorms and was out for nearly 24 hours during the tropical storm earlier this year. A major winter weather event or a catastrophe like that in Moore County could have the neighborhood out of power for a week or more so I am definitely giving this some thought...
#2 all the way. We went this route in MA and it did exactly what we needed, for a much lower price than whole-house. Depending on where your panel is located, costs could be much less than what you quoted.
#2, powered by a large propane tank unless you want to exercise your gasoline-powered or diesel-powered generator regularly so that it will start up when you need it.
I previously determined that I would be better off (financially) letting food in the fridge and freezer go bad in the event of a winter weather extended outage rather than pay nearly $20k for natural gas lines, 14kw Generac standby generator, installation costs, etc.
Do you really need one that big? One half that size is fine for a fridge, freezer and some appliances. Unless you need to run the heat or AC, you can really cut the costs by going smaller.
Quote:
It looks like I have the following options, I'd like to know your thoughts and/or experiences on them:
1. Cheapest -- 12,500 watt peak power generator for $1250, either run extension cords indoors or backfeed into 50A 240V outlet in garage (dangerous, trying to avoid this at all costs)
Backfeeding is only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. That's why they call them suicide cords. Just shut off your main breaker when running the Gen Set.
Backfeeding is only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. That's why they call them suicide cords. Just shut off your main breaker when running the Gen Set.
You’re expecting a lot of people. That’s the whole point of an interlock and an inlet. Cheap insurance.
#2 all the way. We went this route in MA and it did exactly what we needed, for a much lower price than whole-house. Depending on where your panel is located, costs could be much less than what you quoted.
Glad to hear this type of setup worked up north where it would be needed more often in the winter. I'll eventually get a few electrician estimates to get a better feel for the installation costs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wizard-xyzzy
#2, powered by a large propane tank unless you want to exercise your gasoline-powered or diesel-powered generator regularly so that it will start up when you need it.
I have a gas station that sells diesel within a mile of the house so in a SHTF situation I can walk if the roads are too dangerous. I never worked with propane before but I hate how it smells every time I drive down 55 near 1.
Quote:
Originally Posted by don6170
Do you really need one that big? One half that size is fine for a fridge, freezer and some appliances. Unless you need to run the heat or AC, you can really cut the costs by going smaller.
Backfeeding is only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. That's why they call them suicide cords. Just shut off your main breaker when running the Gen Set.
I would like to power the electric HVAC (heatpump) + fridge + networking equipment if possible. The goal will be to set the HVAC to a low enough temperature to avoid triggering AUX heat which would likely overpower the generator.
I agree with others: Option 2. A 12.5kw generator will almost power the whole house. But the increased cost of going up to ~22kw is not that more expensive. Wiring, transfer switch, installation, gas plumbing, labor, etc are the same regardless of generator capacity. The only difference in cost is in the generator itself. It's not that much more expensive to get a bigger unit. Then you have the convenience on not having to select which circuits to power or worry about the aux heat overcoming the generator. Just a thought.
I like 1# Least expensive route. I have 2 Honda 2200eu portable generators. They pull and start with ease, and are extremely quiet. I can run one or both, or run them in parallel maximizing energy. I have around $2,000 in them including cords. If I move they go with me.
Option 2 would be easier, but we have option 1 and went 5 days without power with it. It was needed just one time, and it ran a freezer, refrigerator, coffeemaker and microwave, a few lamps and TV. We cooked on the gas grill. It was like Glamping.
It was labor intensive for my husband and you have to have plenty of gasoline. My point is, you can get along with the cheapest option, but you might not want to.
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That's why they call them suicide cords. Just shut off your main breaker when running the Gen Set.
